Sports Archive

SPORTS ARCHIVE

SCSU Splits with UND

03/03/2014 -
9:30 AM

The men’s hockey team welcomed the University of North Dakota over the weekend. Heading into the weekend of play both teams shared the top spot in the National Collegiate Hockey Conference so series implications were at an all-time high as both teams race for the regular season championship. Each teams had their share of a victory with North Dakota taking a 5-2 win on Friday before the Huskies rebounded on Saturday night, senior night, with a 3-1 win.

The Huskies started off on the right foot Friday night with a power play goal by Joey Benik early in the first period. However, it was all downhill front there as North Dakota took the reigns in the second period, scoring five goals. St. Cloud State had just three shots on goal in the second period. After forty minutes of play the scoreboard favored UND 5-1. The Huskies tried to battle back in the third period tallying 14 shots on goal and scoring once thanks to senior, Kevin Gravel. The Huskies wouldn't have enough for a comeback and fell 5-2. North Dakota then sat in the top spot of the NCHC all alone.

Saturday night was senior night at the Herb Brooks National Hockey center, saluting the four seniors on the 2013-2014 team: Kevin Gravel, Nic Dowd, Cory Thorson and Brandon Burrell. Listen to our farewell to the seniors here. North Dakota was first on the scoreboard with a short-handed goal. Less than a minute late Joey Benik tied things up with a goal just as power play time expired. The Huskies never looked back after tying things up and did they best to send UND packing. Senior, Cory Thorson gave the Huskies a lead near the end of the second period. His goal proved to be the game winner as SCSU defeated UND 3-1. Kevin Gravel, another senior on the team, added the empty net goal with nine seconds remaining.

After the split both teams still share the number one conference spot. This upcoming weekend is the final regular season series of the year and will determine who the inaugural NCHC Champion will be. The Huskies will close out the regular season in Colorado Spring, Co. Follow our Twitter account for game updates this weekend and news and notes about the team. The Huskies are currently ranked forth in PairWise and in the USCHO poll.